Multiple zone testing



Filed April 27, 1946 Flo. 2

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M Y m PUMP INVENTOR. v ERLE R HALLIBunToN FIG.|

Patented Sept. 9, 1952 MULTIPLE zoNE TESTING Erle P. Halliburton, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Company,

Duncan, Okla.

- Application April 27, 1946, Serial No. 665,424

` 4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for testing oil wells or the like and more particularly to an arrangement whereby several zones or formations in the earth can be tested simultaneously.

In most cases petroleum deposits in the earth are found above connate water. In some cases, however, particularly where lenticular formations predominate, water may enter a well bore above anoil producing horizon or in between two oil producing horizons. The production of water with the oil is a source of trouble and many expedients have been proposed for shutting off the Water-bearing formations. As a necessary preliminary to shutting off the water, its exact location must be found. Various electrical devices, such as that disclosed in the patent to R. D. Elliott, No. 1,537,919, granted May 12, 1925, have been proposed and used ex tensively `for locating the entrance of connate water into an oil well. However, difficulty in using such electrical apparatus results from the fact that the tests are normally made after fluids from the formation have stopped entering the well and the well has reached a static condition.

In accordance with the present invention it is proposed to employ mechanical means `for testing several formations or zones in `a well..

While a well is being produced, as lby means of apump, or while `a drill stem test is being made, so ithat, a diierentialpressure exists between theearth formations and the well bore, a sample of fluid Aentering the well bore from each of several formations is entrapped and brought to the surfaceV of the ground for examination. Thus instead of making electrical measurements of static uids in the well bore, samples of the Iluids are taken while these fluids are owing into the well bore at approximately the same rates of flow as exist when the well is on production.

Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to devise means suitable for obtaining samples of fluids at several points of ingress in an oil well while those fluids are flowing into the well bore. i

It is still another object of the invention to obtain samples of fluids from spaced points in an oil well during normal pumping operations in the well.

It 'is still a further object of the invention to devise apparatus suitable for use in combination with a drill stem tester or a pump which will enable samples of fluid from various depths to be obtained. i A

' cone packer.

Other objects and advantages reside in" certain novel features of the arrangement and construction, as will be apparent from the following description of the apparatus taken in 'connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a drill stem tester with a sampling tool constructed in accordance with the present invention mounted thereon. the assembly being located in a Well bore.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, showing in detail the construction of the multiple zone sampling tool of this invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the application of the present invention to a pump producing from several zones in an oil well.

Referring to the drawing in detail and lirst to the assembly of Fig. l, it will be seen that a testing tool I2 is shown in a bore hole I3, the tester being attached to a drill stem or tubing I4. The tester, per se, forms no part of the present invention. It may be of the type shown and described in Halliburton Reissue Patent 20,688, reissued April 5, 1938, and that is the type illustrated, though any other known tester may be used if desired. d

The tester is shown provided with a cone packer I 5. Obviously a wall packer or other type may be used for sealing off the well bore instead of a The apparatus which constitutes the novel feature of the present invention is located in the tail pipe or extension I6 beneath the packer I5.

The tail pipe I6 is provided with inlet ports I1,

I8, I9, and 20, located at different levels and through which all of the fluid enteringthe tester I2 must enter. Since all of the inlet ports are beneath the packer I5, they are all exposed to longitudinally therethrough, two of which are,

shown at 23 and 24 in Fig. 2. Each of these pas,- sageways is provided with a ball 25 which cooperates with a seat member 26 to provide a check valve.

The other plugs in the tail pipe I6 serve as means for mounting inlet ports Il, lrlla, and

20, and each of these contains'one check` valve. One of these plugs is shown in Fig. 2 at 2l, it being understood that the others are similar in construction. As shown, the port I'I is in the form of a screen secured in body 2l by threads. A passageway 28 in the body 2l is provided for conductingfluid from port I'I to pipe 29. Lo'- cated in the passageway 23 is a ball check valve 30 and seat 3I.

Also as shown in Fig. 2, the upper end of the pipe 29 is connected to the passage 2li in the upper plug 22. The pipe 29 thus constitutes a chamber or conduit for entrapping a sample of iluid which enters the coupling 2l through the inlet port I'I. When the tester, packer and tail pipe are removed from the well bore, iluid trapped in pipe 29 will be retained by check valve SG-SI while check Valve 25-25 will prevent any fluid entering pipe 2&3 to contaminate the fluid contained therein.

K In order to remove the fluid from the pipe 2 3 when the apparatus has been brought to the surface, taps 39 and all are provided in plugs 2l and'22 respectively.

VItrwill be understood that three additional. plugs similar. to that shown at 2l in Fig. 2 are mounted in the tail pipe I to mount the inlet ports I8, I9, and 2t, and that each of these is connected to a passageway in the plug 22 by a suitable sampling pipe or chamber. These pipes are designated 4I and l2 in Fig. 2, and similar pipes are illustrated at 4I, 42 and d3 in Fig. 3. Itrvvill be understood that the plug El 'has openings which permit these pipes to pass through it and that the other plugs mounted in the tail pipe I6, beneath the plug 2l, have similar provisions made to accommodate the pipes. In this way thevpoints of ingress of connate fluid from the various formations through which the well bore passes, may be located under flowing conditions and it is important to note that there are no packers or other artificial impediments to flow in between the various inletports.

The operation of this sampling tool is as follows: The apparatus is lowered into a bore hole I3 with the tester I2, the packer I5 and the tail pipe I6 secured to tubing I4. Upon reaching the level in the bore hole at which the test is to be run, the packer I5 is set and the valve in the tester I2 is opened, thus allowing the formation pressure to cause fluid to flow into the bore hole and into the nearest of the inlet ports Il, I8, I9, or 20. Upon entering these ports, the fluid flows upwardly through the conduits 29, 4I, 52, or d3 into Ythe tester and drill stem I. Before the fluid stops flowing, the tester valve is closed, thus stopping the flow of fluid, and entrapping samples inthe conduits. The entire apparatus is then removed from the borehole.

Since the inlet ports Il, Sil, i9, and 2d are spaced along the tail pipe I6, the samples caught in the chambers indicate what is being produced from the adjacent formations.

A tail pipe provided with only four inlet ports for taking fluid samples has been shown and describedlv However, it will readily be understood that additional sample-taking devices can be added. p

In Fig. 3, the arrangement kof sampling pipes and valves is shown mounted beneath a pump 44 instead of beneath a drill stern tester. No packer is employed in this case, but lthe well is merely produced and samples are entrapped under normal flowing conditions. In Fig. 3, the inlet openings Il, I8, Il, and 2@ which convey fluid into the tail pipe lI5 are shown as opposite 4 Y various earth formations such as might exist in a well. If the apparatus were located as shown with respect to the formations, oil from the upper cil sand'would enter the inlet opening I'I; water from the water sand would enter the inlet openings IB and I9; and oil from the lower oil sand would enter the inlet opening 2i). By raising the apparatus, or lowering it on successive tests, the exact boundaries of the various formations could be ascertained.

It is obvious that many changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

Il. Apparatus for locating the points of ingress of connate uids into a well bore, comprising in combination, a tail pipe adapted to be lowered into the well bore, means for permitting iiuids to llow from earth formations through said tail pipe, and an arrangement located within said tail pipe for entrapping samples of fluids from spaced points along the well bore during such flow, said arrangement including a plurality ofV spaced inlet ports all exposed to substantially thesame fluid pressure in the well bore, chambers' for receiving fluids from the inlet ports and for conveying iiuids through said tail pipe means for preventing the passage rof fluid from one to another of said chambers and check valves for holding fluids in said chambers while the tail pipe is removed from the well bore. Y

2. Apparatus for locating the points of ingress of connate fluids into a well bore, comprising in combination, a tail pipe located in the well bore, a pump connected to said tall pipe for causing fluids to flow from earth formations through said tail pipe, a plurality of conduits extending downwardly through said tail pipe with their lower ends terminating at inlet ports located at spaced points along the well bore, so as to all be exposed to substantially the same fluid pressure in the Well bore and being adapted to receive fluids and convey the same through said tail pipe to the pump means for preventing the passage of fluid from one to another of said conduits, and check valves in said conduits for holding fluids therein while the tail pipe is removed frorn the well bore.

3. Apparatus for locating the points ofingress of connate fluids into a well bore, comprising in combination, a drill stem, a tester including a packer and a .valve operated by manipulation of said drill stern to permit or prevent flow of fluids from the well bore into said drill stem, a tail pipe mounted on said tester beneath the packer thereof, a plurality of conduits extending downwardly through said tail pipe with their lower ends terminating at inlet ports located at spaced points along the well bore, all of said points being beneath said packer so as to receive iiuids and convey the same to said tester during the time the tester permits flow of fluids into said drill stem means for preventing the passage of fluid from said drill stem toV said conduits and check valves in said conduits for holding fluids therein while the tester, packer and tail pipe are removed from the well bore.

d. Apparatus for locating the points of ingress of connate fluids into a well bore, comprising in combination, a drill stem, a tester mounted on said drill stem including a packer and a valve operated by manipulation of said drill stem to permit or prevent now of fluids from the well bore into said drill stem, and an arrangement for entrapping samples of fluids from spaced points along the well bore during such flow, UNITED STATES PATENTS said arrangementl including a tail pipe mounted Number Name Date beneath said packer, said tail pipe being pro- Re20 688 Halliburton Apr 5 1938 vided with plurality of spaced inlet ports and a 1 547240 Steele "'":Ju1y '28 1925 plurality of chambers for receiving fluids from the 5 1861332 Waitz May 31 1932 inlet ports means for preventing the passage of 1930987 smmols Oct 17 1933 fluid from one to another of said chambers, and 2107006 Lang Fei) l 1938 check valves for entrapping uids in said cham- 2107457 van Sgl-"-"" Feb: 8' 1938 bers, said inlet ports all being exposed to sub- 2111982 Mason iwan 22 1938 stantially the same fluid pressure in said Well 10 1331730 Brundr Oct. 18: 1938 bore- 2,313,176 sheiby Mar. 9, 1943 ERLE P. HALLIBURTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 le of this patent: 

